GOODAY AGAIN FROM INNAMINCKA

Just got back from a week at Coongie Lakes NP, 105 k's north west of here.  The Cooper creek goes from Innamincka up to there where the creek is full of water and runs into the Coongie Lake.  The Cooper diverts south towards Lake Eyre from there as well.  I had a great time there, but the heat, low 30's most days wears you down a bit.

You could describe it as a very remote one road in and back out place and a water oasis amongst sand dunes, with masses of birdlife.  Over 200 species of birds recorded, I saw between 50-100 different birds there.  A lot while kayaking on the creek and lakes.

I spent a lot of time swimming due to the very hot weather.  The water was a little bit cold but once you get in its great.  After spending a fair bit of time kayaking I found the entrance from the main lake to a 2nd lake and went in there for a bit too.

Lots of tortoises in the creek and lake  and big rabbits there plus the odd dingo and a ginger feral cat but mostly birds and more birds.

I got a bit excited during the week when I spotted a pair of rainbow birds + 2 more pairs later on. (see pic below)  Hadn't seen any rainbows since Fraser Island in the late 1980's

HEY CHECK MY BLOG, CLICK ON THE 'INTERACTIVE MAP' PAGE TO SEE WHERE I AM TRAVELLING.   IF YOU FORGOT THE ADDRESS IT IS:
WWW.MERGY60.BLOGSPOT.COM.AU

Am in Innamincka till at least monday as I want to see some of the AFL finals footy games on TV at the Pub including Geelong this weekend... Yowwww...

Then I am heading south to Lyndhurst (south of Marree) on the Strezlecki track approx 470 k's trip

Innamincka, only a pub and store not much else

Camping at Cullymurra waterhole on the Cooper Creek 14 k's from Innamincka, Great time kayaking here

View Cullymurra waterhole

Following pics at Coongie Lakes Nat Park, view of Coongie Lake

Corellas on Cooper creek

Wildflowers on dunes around lake

Shells around lake??

Camping on the Cooper Creek.  Lake and creek come close together separated by a sand dune

Rainbow birds, yowww......

Wildflower bushes on dunes

Pesky Wabbits

I think these are large spinifex bushes on the dunes

check this out.  see the beans on the right.  Well they aint beans to eat, but turn into wildflowers on left.  Cool..

Early morning on the dune overlooking the Coongie lake

I moved camp from the creek to the point of land in the middle. Real cool, had an inlet full of birds on one side and the main lake on the other side.

When I went swimming in the Lake found heaps of these freshwater mussels growing in the sand bottom.  Cooked some up to try.  they were average. Need some sauce and seasoning etc I think.  Had seen lots of these shells open and broken  in waterholes in the outback previously

sunset over the Lake inlet

GOODAY FROM INNAMINCKA STH AUS

Hey back in South Australia from Qld trippin.

You may remember that I was intending to travel north west (430 k's) from Birdsville Qld to Diamantina Nat Park Qld, then direct south approx 650 k's to Innamincka, Sth Aus.   Well I have done it all in the last week.

The silver flash did well over rough dirt roads through pastoral stations to here. The weather is still quite warm out here. High 20's, low 30's.  Very dry and dusty out here. Soon as I wipe dust off anything in the van it is covered again so I have given up.  There must be some gaps in back door or side or front doors as lots of red dust inside. I live among red dust!

Anyway Diamantina NP was excellent with a big waterhole in the Diamantina river where I went kayaking.  I also went kayaking yesterday here in the Cooper creek on arrival, very cool, the waterhole next to town extends about 12 k's.  There are several other waterholes on the Cooper too.  A real oasis in the outback/desert.  Oh did I say I was here in winter last year where i experienced some great camping on the Cooper creek as well.

Oh yeah I saw my old station wagon in the council yard at Birdsville which I unfortunately had to leave here last year after breakin down. It looked happy amongst some other abandoned vehicles!

On the trip last week I finally started seeing kangaroos north of Birdsville again after not seein any since before Marree.   Also finally saw my 1st group of camels near Boulia.  Also saw brolgas and Emus walkin through the main street of Bedourie just like tourists!!  Saw lots of eagles and healthy populations of Whistling Kites at Diamantina NP and heaps here on the Cooper Creek.  Was talkin to peoples fishing in the creek this arvo, they were catchin Grunter bream and Yellowbelly fish on prawns for bait.

I am headin to Coongie Lakes Nat Park which is on the Cooper creek about 100 k's north of here in a few days for a bit then back here again..  There are about 5 lakes full of birdlife and lots of kayaking/swimming opportunites there i have been told that is real good spot.

 It was blowing up to at least 30 odd knots today which caused huge red and white dust storms everywhere, I found a spot to spend the day on the creek away from the dust clouds. Don't wanna be in the middle of them, yuk.

Am lucky the pub here has Wifi internet as there is no mobile or mobile internet here.

Birdsville sunset, sky is on fire!

This is where the famous Birdsville races are on 7 Sept. 5000 odd ppls attend.  1600 k's from Brissie

Camping on Diamantina river at Birdsville

The famous Birdsville hotel. The airstrip is on left so ppls get out of plane and across road to pub, easy as.

This very hot scalding permanent water bore at Birdsville goes into a large lagoon below the caravan park

On the road north of Birdsville.  Mitchell grass plains, cattle fattening grass

A Dotterell on edge of waterhole

Pelicans on Diamantina river at Diamantina NP

100s of Galahs wheeling around above Diamantina rive waterhole. Click on picture to get full screen to appreciate the view better

Ready to go kayaking inn Diamantina NP Diamantina river waterhole

My 1st ever time seeing camels in the wild, groovy as!

On top of Janets Leap hill, looking north over Diamantina river floodplain

Sunset on top of Janets Leap hill at Diamantina NP

Spoonbills on Diamantina river waterhole

Feral cat on other side of Diamantina River Waterhole after I yelled out Coo-eee to him, startled look

Hot outback chips on the road, best in the outback, yummo

Dead young eagle , looks like it crashed into barbed wire cattle fence, sad

Pair of brolgas at a cattle waterhole

Crossing some red sandhills

Any small or large waterhole is welcome in the outback to wash off the dust from your face, kneck and arms etc.

Red sand road headin to Innamincka + mitchell grass plains

Surprised to see flowering gum trees in dry area north of Innamincka

Hey Cooper Creek, its about 15 feet lower than last year, but still very pretty. Went for a 3 hour kayak on it yesterday

Apair of Parrots in one of the red gums on the creek above my camp

If you didn't know the Innamincka area was the site of the death of Burke & Wills from their ill fated trek from Melbourne to the gulf of Carpentaria top of Qld  in 1860-61.  Died on return trip. Click on pic to zoom in and read some info on it.  This is from 17 k's south of Innamincka on the Cooper Creek where Wills died

BACK IN BIRDSVILLE FROM THE SIMPSON DESERT TRIP

Woww...That about sums up my experience over the last 4 days driving through the Simpson Desert.

I went on the track that runs west of Birdsville for some 500-600 k's west through the Simpson desert.  The first 30 k's is dirt, then you come to BIG RED, a 30 metre sand dune that is a big local tourist attraction.  After gettin over big red its all desert country.  The next 110 k's takes you to the Northern Territory border, then I went another 20 k's along a dry lake and across a few k's of dunes to Poeppels corner.  This where the three states of NT/SA/QLD meet.  See the map below

The simpson desert is similar to Fraser Island where I have driven a lot at.  Lots of sand driving except the dunes are mostly red and higher.  It is also slow going, average 20-30 k's an hour so the 170 one way trip takes 8-9 hours to do.  Its also a lot more remote than Fraser Island but you still see the occasional groups of 4wd drivers crossing the desert and motorbikes and dingoes..

The silver flash easily made it up and down the high dunes.  I was impressed.  I had the tyres down to 20 going out there and 15 on the way back to ensure ease of access across the dunes.  The Simpson desert trip would have to be one of the top highlights of my gap year so far.

TOMORROW I am heading nrth approx 250 k's from Birdsville to Diamantina Nat Park which is also in Qld.  Then going south back some 400 k's into South AUS to Innamincka area for a few weeks.  Cool place there, went there last year, on the cooper creek.

Hey I took a video as I drove over some dunes so you could experience the fun times with me.

Click here for your simpson desert virtual driving experience   http://youtu.be/q5Y8PTbDsIg

Heres som pics of my desert experience.  CLICK ON ANY PIC TO GET A FULL SCREEN VIEW..

 

BIG RED dune.  There was a higher track to the left side

This was the 2nd dune I crossed nearly as big as Big Red

Desert dune wildflowers

These large prickle dudes are just waitin on the dunes for unwary tourists wearin thongs. I also got 3 of them stuck in my hand when I went to sit down on top of a dune to watch the sunset.  Put my hand out to brace myself, forgot  about them, Ouch....

Running repairs.  The underfont protection Bashplate fell off again after takin some rough treatment.

The endless desert

Sunrise over the desert at Poeppells corner

Froggy and Huggy riding along the dry Lake near Poeppels corner

The man in the moon was watchin over me

Sunset over the desert

On top of BIG RED.  There is a small lake nearby

See Poepeels corner in the middle.  On the right Birdsville along the dotted road line, thats where I went.  Bottom right see Innamincka in Sth Aus, going there in about a week after goin nth to Diamantina Nat Park 1st

Augusta Poepells surveyed the 3 borders in 1880, click to see full view

The corner plaque

Campin near Peopples